"So you can do what?" she asked as she leaned forward in her chair again, not believing she had heard him correctly.

"Think about it for a second, YN," he said, trying to reason with her. "If I kill the 1942 version of myself, then HYDRA will never get a chance to experiment on me and create the Winter Soldier. Howard and Maria won't have to die."

She sat back and shook her head in disgust. "You really think you, James Buchanan Barnes, are that important?"

He had been expecting a myriad of reactions from her, but that wasn't one of them. Not sure where she was going, he waited for her to continue.

"I hate to be the one to break it to you, sweetheart, but you're nothing special."

"I was the Winter Soldier." He knew he shouldn't sound proud of that fact, but he'd been HYDRA's pet assassin for over seventy years and she was blatantly dismissing that fact.

She cocked her head to the side as she started to nail in her point. "You were one of six, weren't you? Hell, how many soldiers from the 107th did Zola experiment on before Steve showed up and saved you? If it hadn't been you, it would've been someone else."

Realizing where she was going with this, he began to see her point, but he wasn't ready to give up yet. "You may be right, but the only reason they were able to create the Soldier was because I fell from the train and they were the ones to find me. Steve saved the 107th before Zola had a chance to finish his experiments. . ."

"You are the world's biggest idiot, aren't you?" she asked, completely exasperated with this conversation. "Let me go through each of the reasons why your plan has no chance of working."

He started to say something, but she held up her hand and the look in her eye had him thinking twice about speaking. For a second he remembered the magic she'd been able to conjure and he was a bit worried she'd turn it on him, if only to get him to shut up long enough for her to speak.

"Where to start? Let's just go chronological, shall we?" She took a deep breath and mentally outlined her main points before beginning. "The only reason Steve went to save the 107th from HYDRA was because your dumb ass got captured. If you're dead, then Steve might not go rogue and Zola will have had plenty of time to keep experimenting until he gets it right. Voila, the Winter Soldier is born."

Bucky bit his lip to keep himself from speaking, but he could already see where she was going, and as much as he hated to admit it, she was probably right. He wanted to tell her that, but she was on a roll, and she had a crazed look in her eye that he still wasn't sure he wanted to test just yet.

"Moving on. Let's say, for arguments sake, that Steve does go and save the 107th because he's Captain America and that idiot can't stop himself from looking for a fight. He saves the 107th, but he still ends up on the train and you're not there. Before you ask, he told me about that day and how you saved him, so what happens when you're not there? One scenario has him dangling from the edge of that train, and then guess what? Your best friend is captured by Zola and he becomes the Winter Soldier. I'd ask if you could live with yourself if that happened, but if you get your way, you'll kill yourself in 1942, thus wiping this version of yourself from existence so you won't care one way or the other."

Bucky's stomach turned over sourly as he realized that she was right – he hadn't been special, he'd just been in the wrong place at the wrong time. He thought about Steve being forced to endure the torture – being forced to kill innocent people year after year, decade after decade, andhe knew that YN was right. He was being selfish to think that by killing himself before HYDRA had a chance to turn him, he would be saving Howard and Maria from death. As much as he would like to ease his conscience, this burden was his to bear.

"No more," he said in a harsh whisper as he buried his face in his hands. "You're right. I was stupid to think I could change anything."

Hearing the dejected tone in his voice broke her heart. With a sigh she rose and went to crouch down in front of him. Placing her hands over his, she forced him to look at her. "It was a stupid idea, but it was also a noble one. This is what I'm talking about, Bucky. You're a good man, and it's because of that that you'll be able to move past this and learn to forgive yourself. Or you could adopt Nat's mindset and keep helping to save the world in order wipe the red from your ledger."

Bucky stared into her eyes and saw the raw honestly reflected in them. She truly did believe that he was worthy of redemption. He expected it from Steve, but to see it in someone else's eyes – someone who was practically a stranger to him – was unanticipated. Maybe it was time that he put his past behind him and focused on making the most of the life he still had left to live.

"Thank you, YN," he said finally, giving her hands a light squeeze.

She smiled as she dropped his hands and rose again. "Anytime, Barnes."

"Bucky," he corrected as he stood up beside her. "My name is Bucky."

She gave him a slight nod. "Bucky it is."

"I should probably try to get some sleep," he told her as he began making his way to the door. "We have a lot to do tomorrow."

"Do me a favor and try not to overthink things anymore," she said with a smirk. "I promise you'll sleep a whole lot better."

He gave her a cocky salute before slipping into the darkened hallway back to his room. "Yes, ma'am."

She shut the door behind him and flipped the lock before grabbing the knife from the end of the bed and sliding it back into its sheath beneath her pillow. Slipping beneath the covers, she lay on her side facing the door and started to do exactly what she'd warned him not to – overthink. Her mind refused to shut down so that she could fall asleep and she found herself absentmindedly rubbing her thumb over the pads of the other four fingers on her hand, small orange sparks flickering from the movement. She'd forgotten the rush that one got from using magic, and too late, she remembered why she'd sworn she'd never go down that path again. Balling her hand into a fist, she raised up and punched the pillow before falling back down onto the bed and willing her mind to finally let her sleep.

When she awoke for a second time, she immediately knew where she was, but it wasn't as reassuring as she'd hoped it would be. The world outside of her window was still dark, although the edges of the sky were just starting to lighten so she knew dawn wasn't too far off. Throwing back the covers, she grabbed the robe from the footboard and slipped it over her nightgown before heading toward the door. Ana had promised to leave her some more clothes on the small table outside her bedroom door, and sure enough, she found a small, neatly folded stack of garments waiting for her. On top of the flowery bundles she assumed were dresses, was her tactical gear and a handwritten note in a flourishing script.

"I took the liberty of cleaning your gear in the hopes that you would join me and Edwin this morning." – Ana

YN smiled as she walked back into her room and lay the pile of clothes on the end of the bed. Picking up the gear, she was amazed to see that it was spotlessly clean. She wasn't sure when electric washers and dryers had been invented, but obviously Howard had provided Ana with a set – it was the only explanation to how her clothes had been washed and dried overnight.

She sorted through the stack of dresses Ana had given her, and while they weren't something she would normally choose, they were much preferable to the skintight miniskirts she'd been forced to wear while she and Nat had been bartending in Prague.

Walking over to the armoire in the corner, she found some empty hangers and hung up the dresses before turning back to the bed. Not one to leave a mess in someone else's home, she quickly straightened the sheets and comforter and placed the pillows in the exact spots they'd been in the night before. Satisfied with her work, she quickly changed into her gear and hung the nightgown and robe in the armoire beside her new dresses.

Slipping quietly into the hallway, she was shocked to find Bucky waiting outside his door. He too was dressed in the same clothes he'd been wearing yesterday, and just like hers, they were also freshly laundered.

"I heard you moving around and figured you'd gotten the same note from Ana that I did, so I decided to wait for you," he explained as they began making their way to the stairs.

"Do you think it's a good idea to train with two civilians?" she asked as they descended the stairs to the training room in the basement Howard had shown them the night before.

He gave a slight shake of his head. "I figured I would let you spar with Ana and Jarvis. I know you've trained with Steve, so you should be able to hold your own with me."

A devious grin spread across her face. "I think I can do more than hold my own."

"Doll."

"I think you're forgetting that I got the upper hand on you last night," she reminded him.

"Because I let you," he countered with a smirk of his own.

Her eyes grew wide with shock. "You what?"

The smirk on his face deepened, causing small lines to crinkle around the edges of his eyes. "I could've stopped you before you ever had a chance to raise that knife."

"Then why didn't you?" she asked, completely confused. "How did you know I wouldn't go straight for the kill."

"Because you weren't sure who was outside your room, and you wouldn't take the chance of accidentally killing one of our gracious hosts," he explained with a shrug.

She was momentarily taken aback. How did he know her so well already? They'd barely spoken more than a few sentences to one another before ending up in the mess they were in now. S.H.I.E.L.D. had taught her to stay elusive and not give the enemy any insight into her motives and character. Somehow he'd broken past all of her walls in less than a day, and she was reeling a bit from how intuitive he seemed to be. She'd definitely underestimated him, but she wouldn't make that mistake again.

"Touché," she finally answered as they walked through the door of the training room.

Ana and Jarvis were already there and from the thin sheen of sweat glistening each of their brows, it appeared that they'd been at it for quite some time. YN noticed Ana wearing what appeared to be an old pair of her husband's trousers that she'd cinched with a belt to help them stay on her small frame, and YN was instantly charmed. They were the most adorable couple she'd ever met before and she wasn't at all surprised that she'd fallen in love with them already.

"Oh, I'm so glad you're going to join us," Ana exclaimed as she hurried over and grabbed YN's hand. "Poor Edwin is already winded, but I'm nowhere near ready to stop."

She didn't give YN any time to prepare before she came at her with a wide, swooping roundhouse kick. If it hadn't been for her training, she would've wound up flat on her back from the blow, but instinct kicked in and she effortlessly blocked the kick and countered with a backhanded blow that Ana quickly evaded. Taking a step back, she had to admit that she was impressed with the tiny woman. She was both ferocious and well-trained, and YN had a feeling she would enjoy this training session immensely.

Ana wasn't exactly a S.H.I.E.L.D. trained operative, but she was skilled enough to keep YN on her toes. Jarvis called out suggestions to Ana from the sidelines, but Bucky stood silent and merely observed her and Ana sparring.

"Edwin, my dear," Ana said at one point. "I realize that your intentions are well-meaning, but you're helping YN more than you're helping me. Now shush."

Even Bucky couldn't hide his amusement as Jarvis puffed out his chest and let out a huff of indignation. YN gave him a smile and focused her attention back on her training partner.

Once Ana had tired out, Jarvis asked if YN would mind going a round or two with him. She gave Bucky a questioning look to see if he wanted to join in, but he shook his head and motioned for her to continue. She had a sneaky suspicion that he was hoping she would be too tired to spar with him, but he had no idea how grueling Nat could be during training. Sparring with Ana and Jarvis was nothing more than a warmup for her.

Sparring with Ana had given her a small sense of déjà vu, but it wasn't until she was in deep with Jarvis that she realized why. It had only taken her a few minutes to realize that she knew all of his moves and could accurately predict what he would do next. She shot a quick glance in Bucky's direction to see if he'd picked up on it as well, and the look on his face told her he'd also noticed. Unsure if it was because she wasn't ready for the reminder, or if she was just anxious to finally go up against the infamous Winter Soldier, she made quick work of Jarvis and had him flat on his back in less than five minutes.

As Ana helped him back to his feet, she walked over to where Bucky stood next to a small cart with a water pitcher and glasses. Pouring herself a glass, she drank deeply while Bucky gave her a steely glare.

"Cheater," he whispered.

A self-satisfied smirk turned up the corners of her lips as she continued to drink her water. "It's not my fault Tony learned everything he knows from Jarvis. You've fought Tony before, so I know you saw it too."

"I think it took me a little longer to realize it than you, but yeah, Jarvis is the one who trained Stark," he admitted. "Still doesn't excuse the fact that you unfairly used that to your advantage."

"Maybe I was just tired of the opening acts and was eager to get to the main event."

He gave her a long look. "You really want to fight me that badly?"

"I've been training with Nat exclusively for a year now," she explained as she put down the glass and walked backwards onto the mat in the middle of the floor. "You've been up against her, what, two or three times? You know what's she's like. I guess you could say the bar's been set pretty high and I need someone who can keep make me work for it."

She watched as something she said caused Bucky's eyes to momentarily cloud over. She narrowed her eyes and cocked her head to the side. Had she struck a nerve somehow? Surely he still wasn't feeling guilty for shooting Nat. . .twice. Nat had made it a point to let him know in the cab ride to the airport in Prague that she held no hard feelings toward him. Looking back on it now, she remembered a moment of awkwardness, but she'd assumed that it was to be expected when someone was telling another person they were forgiven for trying to kill them, but now she wasn't so sure.

She waited for Bucky to join her before she planted her feet and readied herself for the coming attack. Bucky walked around the perimeter of the mat as he silently appraised her. For some odd reason, she felt like he was almost hunting her – looking for the right moment to pounce. She'd seen him in action before, both as the Soldier and as Bucky. The Soldier was lethal and deadly, but Bucky had more finesse when he fought. Now that he had access to all of his memories, she wondered if he would blend the two fighting styles or if he'd left the Soldier behind when Shuri had removed the trigger words.

She didn't have to wait long to find out. After one circle around her, he came at her with a quick right-handed jab. She easily dodged it and crouched down to sweep his legs out from under him. With ease, he slid out of the way of her leg and reached down to grab one of hers, lifting her up off the ground. She used the momentum he created to reach up and grab ahold of his shoulders as she twisted her body to wrap her other leg around his throat.

He was prepared for her move, though and before she could react, he'd leaned forward and threw her off of him and back onto the mat. She tucked her head and turned the fall into a roll, twisting at the end to get her feet back under her. He wasted no time coming at her again, but by this point in the fight, she was relegated to playing defense while he held onto the upper hand throughout the rest of the match. Every time she thought she had an opening to take control, he seemed ready for her attack and was able to evade every kick and punch she aimed at him.

Finally exhausted, she tapped the mat to signal the end of the fight as she struggled to force herself into a sitting position after he'd knocked her flat on her back yet again. She knew she shouldn't be angry at him for giving her exactly what she'd asked for, but what she was feeling wasn't exactly anger. She took a few deep breaths as she struggled to come to terms with the emotion she was feeling. After a few moments, she realized that it was confusion. How had he been able to predict every move she made?

Looking up at him with wary eyes, she saw guilt swimming in his. Her mouth fell open as she tried to understand this new development, but before she could speak, he'd turned and started back toward the steps leading upstairs.

Jumping to her feet, she rushed down the hallway to stop him. Grabbing his vibranium arm, she pulled until he turned to look at her. "What was that back there? How in the world. . .? I know you've fought Nat a few times, but there's no way you could've picked up on all of her moves."

He let out a deep breath and ran his right hand through his hair. "You'll find out eventually, although I'm surprised you don't already know." He paused to give her a sympathetic look. "I know all of Nat's moves – all of your moves – because I was the one who trained Natalia in the Red Room."

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Author's Note: Thank you for reading Part 9 of this story! I hope you enjoyed it! Bucky may have gotten the upper hand at the end, but she sure threw him for a loop at the beginning! We all know the best way to motivate Bucky is to bring Steve into the equation! The thought of Steve becoming the Winter Soldier was almost too much for Bucky to bear, don't you think? As for the ending, it was another one of those epiphanies that I hadn't planned on! I love the comic book version of Bucky and Nat, although I won't be exploring the romance side of their relationship in this story - that would just be too messy to deal with on top of all the other drama! How do you think the Reader is going to react to this new development? Do you think she'll be mad at Nat for not telling her? I look forward to your comments and please consider voting if you enjoyed this part!